A PAIR of plucky youngsters have trekked the width of the nation in support of their dad’s battle with cancer.

Sarah and Dom Hannon from Dorchester have raised more than £1,300 for the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust through their epic charity challenge.

It was initially going to be just mum Penny Sturt taking on the 190-mile coast to coast walk from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire.

However, Sarah, 12, and Dom, 14, were keen to get involved and when Penny heard about the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust’s support for Dorset County Hospital’s appeal for a new cancer centre with radiotherapy facilities for west Dorset patients , it seemed like the perfect cause to raise funds for.

Dad Andrew was diagnosed with stomach cancer last November and currently has to travel to Poole to receive radiotherapy treatment.

Penny said she knew the challenge was going to be a tough one for her, let alone the children, but she was hugely proud of how well they had done, as were many people they had encountered along the way.

She said: “People were so impressed with the children they gave us money when we met them along the way.”

She added: “We all discovered we walked better if we were well fuelled up with Jelly Babies and Kendal mint cake and other sweet treats.”

The trip took around three weeks in total, with the trio averaging around 10-miles a day and took them through three National Parks.

Penny said it has been great for the family, Andrew included, to have something to focus on since the cancer diagnosis and to know they were doing something to help others.

Visit justgiving.com/fundraising/penny-sturt1 to donate.